Reservation--type document feeder

Abstract

A document feeder having a main document setting plate for holding thereon a stack of document originals to be processed, an auxiliary document setting plate for holding thereon a stack of document originals to be processed after the processing of the document originals set on the main document setting plate, a transfer mechanism for transferring the document originals set on the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate, and a feeding mechanism for feeding the document originals set on the main document setting plate one by one to a processing position. The document originals are transferred from the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate in synchronization with the one-by-one document feeding from the main document setting plate to the processing position by the feeding mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A document feeder, comprising: a main document setting plate for holding thereon a stack of document originals to be processed;   an auxiliary document setting plate for holding thereon a stack of document originals to be processed after completion of the processing of the document originals set on the main document setting plate;   a transfer mechanism for transferring the document originals set on the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate;   a feeding mechanism for feeding the document originals set on the main document setting plate one by one to a predetermined processing position; and   control means for controlling the transfer mechanism so that the document originals are transferred from the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate in synchronization with the document feeding from the main document setting plate to the processing position by the feeding mechanism.   
     
     
       2. A document feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for controlling the transfer mechanism so that the document originals set on the auxiliary document setting plate are transferred one by one onto the main document setting plate in synchronization with the one-by-one document feeding by the feeding mechanism.   
     
     
       3. A document feeder as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a document discharge tray for receiving the document originals once fed to the predetermined processing position from the main document setting plate and then discharged therein;   a document recycling mechanism for guiding to the main document setting plate the document originals once fed from the main document setting plate to the processing position and resetting the document originals on the main document setting plate;   document non-processing transportation means for performing a document non-processing transportation operation whereby the document originals once reset on the main document setting plate by the document recycling mechanism are discharged into the document discharge tray without processing the document originals; and   associated transfer control means for controlling the transfer mechanism to transfer the document originals once set on the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate in synchronization with the document non-processing transportation operation performed by the document non-processing transportation means.   
     
     
       4. A document feeder as set forth in claim 3, wherein the associated transfer control means includes means for controlling the transfer mechanism so that the document originals set on the auxiliary document setting plate are transferred one by one onto the main document setting plate in synchronization with the one-by-one document non-processing transportation operation performed by the non-processing transportation means. 
     
     
       5. A document feeder as set forth in claim 3, wherein the document recycling mechanism includes a document recycling path for guiding the document originals from the processing position to the main document setting plate, and   wherein the transfer mechanism includes a document transferring path extending from the auxiliary document setting plate and joining the document recycling path for guiding the document originals from the auxiliary document setting plate to the main document setting plate.   
     
     
       6. A document feeder as set forth in claim 3, further comprising: recycling control means for controlling the document recycling mechanism to perform a document recycling cycle a plurality of times for transporting the document originals from the main document setting plate to the processing position and then back to the main document setting plate;   means for checking whether or not any stack of document originals is set on the auxiliary document setting plate;   cycle judgment means for judging whether or not a final document recycling cycle is performed, if the checking means detects a stack of document originals set on the auxiliary document setting plate;   means for allowing the associated transfer control means to control the transfer mechanism upon completion of the final document recycling cycle, if the cycle judgment means judges that the final document recycling cycle is being performed; and   means for allowing the control means to control the transfer mechanism to discharge the document originals from the processing position into the document discharge tray upon completion of a document recycling cycle immediately before the final document recycling cycle, if the cycle judgment means judges that the final document recycling cycle is not being performed.